Press Releases
04/20/2015
Gov. Malloy to Host New England Governors in Hartford to Discuss Regional Energy Infrastructure Challenges
(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that he will host an energy summit of New England's Governors in Hartford on Thursday, April 23, to pursue next steps in efforts to develop and implement a cooperative strategy to address energy infrastructure challenges facing the region.
The Governors will meet at the Connecticut Convention Center for a private roundtable organized by the Coalition of Northeastern Governors (CONEG). Governor Malloy is the chairman of CONEG.
"The cost of energy in our region is a major issue that our states need to address in a collaborative way," Governor Malloy said. "At our meeting in Hartford, the Governors of this region will renew and strengthen our commitment to working together to put solutions to this challenge in place. The problem is greater than any one state can solve alone, and the people of all six states can share in the benefits of cost-effective solutions we can implement together. Our goal is to build on the prosperity and promise of New England by ensuring the long-term availability of cleaner, affordable, and reliable power."
During the session, the Governors will discuss common solutions to energy challenges facing the region in an effort to combat the high cost of electricity in New England, the lack of infrastructure to bring natural gas to power plants, growing concerns about reliability, and the transmission challenges of integrating power from renewable energy sources into the grid. It will be attended by Governor Dannel P. Malloy of Connecticut, Governor Paul R. LePage of Maine, Governor Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, Governor Gina M. Raimondo of Rhode Island, and Governor Peter Shumlin of Vermont.
The region's Governors first outlined a strategy for regional energy cooperation in a joint statement issued in December of 2013.
Prior to the Governors' working session, a "Northeast Regional Energy Forum" will take place at the Connecticut Convention Center from 8:15 to 10:00 a.m., giving energy stakeholders an opportunity to address regional infrastructure issues. The forum will begin with panel discussion featuring Richard Levitan, president & principal of Levitan & Associates, Inc.; Gordon van Welie, president and chief executive officer of ISO New England Inc.; and Connecticut Consumer Counsel Elin Katz. A second panel will feature state energy officials who will discuss state initiatives and regional collaboration that is already underway. It will stream live online via the Connecticut Network at www.ct-n.com.
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